Borussia Mönchengladbach – RB Leipzig
In this week’s Saturday Bundesliga match-up, all four of Germany’s Champions League contenders compete at once. Leipzig, for whom the start in the top flight went ideally, then travel to the Lower Rhine to the stumbling Foals. Find out which team will prevail in this hot duel in our Gladbach – Leipzig tip.
Leipzig won 3:1 at Young Boys Bern on Tuesday to kick off the top flight. But it is not only on the European stage that things are going very well for RB, as the Saxons have gone three games without losing a point. Borussia Mönchengladbach, on the other hand, is still waiting for its first win of the season. However, the Foals recently overcame a 0:3 half-time deficit in a 3:3 draw in Darmstadt.
RB Leipzig’s top management is very familiar with the upcoming opponent from Gladbach. Max Eberl and Marco Rose used to have connections to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Eberl held various positions for 23 years, while Rose was coach for two years.
Gladbach – Leipzig info:
- Date & Time: 23.09.2023, 15:30 Uhr
- Court: Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 5
- TV broadcast: Sky
Gladbach Form & Balance Check
The Gladbach side are currently picking up where they left off last season and just can’t quite find their game. However, while VfL finished the pre-season in tenth place, things are looking even more sobering at the moment. After four games, Gladbach is still waiting for a win and lingers in a disappointing 14th place.
Particularly at home in Borussia-Park, the Foals are not yet getting on track. However, Borussia’s opening programme at home, with opponents from Leverkusen, Munich and Leipzig, is also extremely unfavourable. But coach Gerardo Seoane’s team also looked anything but good in the away game against Darmstadt, ultimately going home with a 3-3 draw.
Balance in midfield
One of the biggest construction sites in Gladbach’s game at the moment is the midfield. Star player Manu Koné was missing from the midfield at the start of the season and is only now slowly returning to full fitness. The double midfield of Julian Weigl and Florian Neuhaus, however, was not convincing at all on the first match days and showed numerous gaps.
The big winner at Borussia, however, also comes from the midfield. Rocco Reitz took his chance and delivered solid performances in his first four games of the season. The 21-year-old homegrown player was loaned to St. Truiden in Belgium in the pre-season and now obviously intends to assert himself with the Foals. During the week, VfL even rewarded their newcomer for his good performances with a contract extension until 2026.
Gladbach facts & analysis
- In 14th place in the Bundesliga
- Played 3:3 against Darmstadt in the previous week
- Only five Bundesliga wins in 2023
Leipzig form & balance check
RB Leipzig had their ups and downs in the previous season. Nevertheless, the Saxons finished the season in third place and secured the DFB Cup. This season, coach Marco Rose’s team is aiming even higher.
RB then also started the new season with a convincing 3:0 victory over FC Bayern in the Supercup. Although Leipzig lost to Leverkusen on the first matchday, the Saxons quickly found their rhythm in the league again. RasenBallsport won confidently against Stuttgart, Union Berlin and Augsburg respectively. The start in the top flight was also successful with a 3:1 victory in Bern.
Injury woes in defence
The Saxons’ offence is currently convincing on all levels and is multi-layered with plenty of talent. On the defensive side, however, RasenBallsport is currently a bit on the ragged edge. The two centre-backs Willi Orbán and El Chadaille Bitshiabu will be missing for quite a while due to injury.
And Lukas Klostermann, who could play in these positions, has also been out injured recently. In the next few games, the burden in central defence will therefore rest mainly on the two Frenchmen Castello Lukeba and Mohamed Simakan. Due to the shortage of personnel, Tim Köhler, who is only 18 years old, was even included in the squad from the youth team in Bern during the week.
Leipzig facts & analysis
- Won 3:0 against Augsburg in last match.
- In 3rd place in the league
- Actual DFB Cup winners
Predicted line-up – last update on 21 September 2023
Borussia played with a three-man backline and three players in central midfield in the 2nd half against Darmstadt. We think this system is likely against Leipzig as well. We expect the substitutes Cvancara, Neuhaus, Netz and Elvedi to be in the starting eleven for the Foals.
Leipzig, on the other hand, will again play the familiar 4-2-2-2. Poulsen and Openda will once again provide danger in the double forward line. Dani Olmo, who excelled at the start of the season, will continue to be out injured.
Gladbach – Leipzig direct comparison & Statistics
Leipzig have won eight of their 14 previous meetings with Borussia Mönchengladbach. After a four-year drought for Gladbach, in which they waited for their first win against the Saxons, things have been much better recently. The Foals won three of the last six encounters with RasenBallsport. However, the last encounter on matchday 24 of the last second leg ended in a clear 3-0 victory for Leipzig.
- Leipzig’s last away win in Gladbach was on 30/08/2019.
- The two teams were separated by 23 points in pre-season.
- Leipzig have scored in all Bundesliga home games this season
